Surbhi Chandna: I have never been a Bollywood fan. I always aspired to play the lead on a TV show

Surbhi Chandna talks about her career as an actress , her fashion statement and more...

| TNN | Oct 11, 2017, 01.00 AM IST

Surbhi Chandna

It's easy to strike a conversation with Surbhi Chandna, best known as Anika from 'Ishqbaaz'. Known for being straightforward, she has a unique take on everything. While most TV actresses aspire to enter Bollywood, Surbhi is an exception. "I have played a small part in Bobby Jasoos, but I have never been a Bollywood fan. In fact I have always aspired to play the lead on a TV show. I know that work is less stressful in films, but I enjoy doing TV shows more," says the actress, who has featured in shows like 'Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah' and 'Meri Bhabhi'.

Interestingly, Surbhi left a thriving career in the corporate world to enter showbiz. She recalls, "It was my mother who told me to audition for roles on television, though after completing MBA, I was content with my career in the corporate world. I obeyed her and did small roles in many shows. I was also chosen to play the lead in Jamai Raja, but that never happened. Then 'Qubool Hai' happened and my character got noticed. After the show, Gul, the producer, told me that she wanted me to be part of another show that she was planning. After Qubool Hai I wanted to focus on lead roles and if you want to play the lead you have to look thin because only thin girls can get to play leads. So, I hit the gym and lost a lot of weight. But when Gul offered me 'Ishqbaaz', she wanted me to 'eat' because she preferred her actress to be pleasantly plump. However, that did not work. So, I again went on a weight-losing spree because this was my big-ticket show and I didn't want to lose it."

Recently, there were rumours of her show, Ishqbaaz, going back to the half-hour slot, but it never happened. Surbhi says, "Why would they revert to the half-hour slot (the show currently airs
for an hour)? The show is doing well, and people enjoy watching the chemistry between Shivaay (Nakuul Mehta) and Anika."

So would she say that the show is doing well only because of the sizzling chemistry between Nakuul and her? "Shivaay-Anika can't run the show entirely on their own. I believe that it is the track of the three brothers — Shivaay, Rudra and Omkar — that attracts more viewers. This is perhaps one of those few shows where along with the lead actress, there are two more pretty actresses contributing to the show," she says.
Interestingly, while we see most television bahus donned in saris, Surbhi's character transforms from a simple, kurta-jeans girl into a diva. The actress has carried her stylish transformation onto the red carpet, too. She says, "I wanted my dresses to tell a story. I have always believed that fashion is about comfort and then style. Not just the clothes, the kind of make-up we wear has also inspired trends on other TV shows. Now, after doing this show, I really feel sorry for my contemporaries, who get to wear only traditional or simple saris on their shows."

So how similar is she to her character Anika on the show and she says, "I am independent like her but I'm definitely not moophat like her. I don't use words like paagalbilla or tadi in real life," she laughs, adding, "But I love the life of an actress — I enjoy going to the malls and seeing that people recognise me and come and speak to me."

Surbhi has married her co-actor Nakuul twice on the show, but in real life, she denies having a boyfriend. There were even rumours of how Nakuul and his wife Jankee along with Surbhi and her boyfriend went on dates, but the actress denies it all. She says, "Nakuul and his wife are great hosts and sometimes we all party at their place, but I am not dating anyone. If I have someone special in my life, why will I not talk about it?"

On a parting note, Anika tells us about her Dubai holiday, "Travelling is difficult when you work 14 hours in a day. This year, I wanted to visit Dubai for my birthday. Currently, I am enjoying my life and work, there is nothing more that I can ask for," she signs off.

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